Apparatus for defiberizing wood



Dec@ 4 1923.

G. A lcHER ET AL APPARATUS FOR DEFIBERIZAING WOOD Filed May '7. 1923 S Sheets-Sheet 2l PZ m. m5 Wm M Tm M www. M @ma um, u; f Nww NN hun:

@55N in@ G. AICHER ET AL APPARATUS FOR DEFIBERIZING WOOD Filed May 7, 1923 Dec. 4 1923.

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Patented 4, ETD STATES? GUSTAV AICHEB AND 1,7ao3z PATENT orifice.

UEL S. MGINILLAN, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOBS T0 MQMILLAN PROCESS COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- TION 0F NEVADA.

APPARATUS FOB, DEFIBERIZING WOOD.

. Application filed May 7,

' 10 prises an apparatus for the defiberi'zation of Wood in such'a manner that the fiber is removed from the solid Wood in line with the length of the same, the fibers recovered from the deliberization of the solid wood being l5 for use in connection with theindustrial arts generally, and the invention relates more particularly to an improvement in the apparatus set forth and described in United States Letters Patent #1,344,180 granted Uel S. McMillan under date of June 22, 1920; the objects ofthe invention being the production of an apparatus capable of detberizing solid Wood in large tonnage quantity per day, to provide an etiicient, economical and practical apparatus for the carrying out of the work of defiberizing solid Wood and to produce an apparatus capable of successfully deiberizing solid wood of any character and in line with the length of the fiber thereof. v

.To comprehend the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of the V apparatus with certain parts thereotl removed.

Fig. 2 is 'a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2--2, Fig. 6 of the drawin s. ig. 3 is a broken detailed side elevation ofthe hopper for the wood to be defiberized, illustrating the means for imparting longitudinal reciprocating motion thereto.

,Fig. 4 is a detailed view of one of the combing', teeth of one of the deliberizing elements of the apparatus. v

F 5 is a similar View illustrating the relative arrangement of a plurality of the combing teeth of the defberizing` elements. Fig. 6 is aY cross sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 1 of the drawings. illustrating the drive mechanism for imparting reciprocating motion to the hopper for the wood to be deberized, and the arrange- 1923. Serial N0. @7,389.

when 'the spool is in rotation.

Fig. 9 is a broken plan view disclosing the i hopper for the wood to be` deberized, the trip means for controlling the spra of water or steam onto the under surface o the wood during the longitudinal reciprocating movement of the hopper.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is vused 'to designate al 'suitably constructed frame structure above which is mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement an openbottomed hopper 2, preferably composed of metal and adapted to receive slabs or layers 3 of wood to be defiberized, which slabs are arranged withinl the hopper length-wise thereof and delivered thereto in any suitable manner. Within the frame structure 1 is arranged a plurality of separated series of transversely disposed idler rollers 4. and 5,

which are adapted to support or uphold the hopper 2 and the arrangement of the foremost roller of each of the series 4 and 5 is so disposed as to support in conjunction with an intermediate idler roller 6 the slabs 3 of wood contained within the hopper 2, the arrangement of the said supportingrollers being clearl shown by Fig. 2 of the drawings. The idler roller 6 is mounted upon a transversely disposed driven shaft 7, which Works in bearing boxes 8 Secured to the frame structure 1 and has mounted thereon the rack pinions 9 which mesh with the rack plates 10 secured to and carried at each side of vthe'hopper 2', Fig. 6 of the drawings, and itis these racl'r pinions 9 which impart longitudinal reciprocating movement to the said hopper 10 depending upon the direction of rotation imparted'to the driven shaft 7. T o one end of the said shaft 7 is secured a master gear 11, which meshes with a pinion 12 secured to a driven shaft 13 and upon the shaft 13 is mounted the pulley drums 14 and 15 within which works the friction clutch pulle 16 feathered to the lshaft 13. Through the s aft 13. is extended a shift rod 17 to which the clutch pulley-16 is united by a key 18. n will-be understood that thepuiley drums 14 and 15 are independentlyV inafter set. forth. Y Below the hopper 2 and mounted within the frame structure l is arranged a plurality of rotary means for the 'deiberization of the wood contained within the hopper 2, which means have opposite rotary motion imparted thereto. Each dei'beriz'ing means comprises a spool formed of a transversely disposed shaft 18 having secured thereto the spaced collars 19, united one to the other by a series of circumferentially disposed tie rods 20. On each tie rod is mounted in longitudinal alignment for free swinging movement a series of radially disposed combing teeth 21, the arrangement of the combing teeth on the respective tie rods 2O being such that one row ofcombing teeth stand in staggered relationA rela-tive to an Iadjacent row of teeth, each tooth 21 being formedwith an eye 22 through which is adapted to be passed the tie rods 20 in the assembling of the spool structure for the deiberizing means and each tooth terminates in a pointed end 23 and it is these pointed or sharpened ends of the combing teeth 21 which during the rotary movement of the deiberizing element is brought into physical contact with the under surface to be de'i'berized of the wood contained within the hopper 2. rllhe shaft 18 of each deliberizing element works within bearing boxes 24 secured to the frame struc; ture land to one end of each shaft is secured a belt pulley 25, over which pulleys work drive belts not shown for imparting opposite rotation to the respective deliberizing elements and the drive mechanism for the said belts which preferably is in the form of an electric motor is of such a character as to im art highrotative speed to said deiberizing e ements and which preferably are driven at the rateof 2500 revolutions per minute.

The. defiberizing elements rotate interime diate the idler roller 6 and the innermost.

rollers 4 and 5 ofthe respective series of idler supporting rollers and the said defberizing elements work within an 'enclosing housing 26, which is provided with a dis charge outlet 27. It is into this housing26 that the fibers lof the wood, vas the slabs t contained within the hopper 2 are defberized, fall and are discharged from within the therewith, then the movement of the ho remesa Assuming the hopper 2 to be ,suppliedy with slabs 3 to be defiberized and arranged therein lengthwise of the said hopper 2 and power applied to the pulley drum 14 and the clutch drum 16 in frictional engagem nt er 2 will be in the direction of the arrow mg. 2 of the drawings and will continue in this line of travel until the 'tappet 28 secured to a longitudinally disposed rod 29 carried by v the hopper 2 engageswith the bgll crank lever 30, Fig. 7 of the drawings, which `engagemento the tappet cam 28 therewith throws the bell crank lever to actuate the connecting rod or link 31 to throw the fulcrumed levery32 outwardly, which carries therewith the shift rod 17 and throws the with the pulley drum 14 and places the same .85 clutch pulley 16 out of frictional engagement drum 15, so that the rotation of the said pulley drum 15 is transmitted to the shaft 7 and reverse rotation imparted thereto, which movement through the action of the lrack pnions 9 causes a reverse movement to-be given to the hopper 2, causing the same to .move in the direction of the arrow I), Fig. 2

of the drawings, which line of travel of the said hopper is continued until the tappet 33 secured to the rod 29, in spaced relation rlative to the tap et 28, is brought into con.` tact with the fr) tuates the same to draw inwardly the rod 31 and throw the fulcrum lever 32.to actuate the shift rod 17 to throw the clutch drum 16 -out of frictional engagement with the belt pulley 15 and into frictional engagement with the belt pulle 14, for imparting through the describe mechanism a reverse line of movement or travel to the hopper 2. It will thus be seen that at predetermined moments the direction of the lon itudinal movement of the hopper 2 is varie so that reciprocating longitudinal movement is imparted to the said hopper throughout the working moments of the apparatus.

Inasmuch as the hopper 2 is an open-botell crank lever 30 and ac-v tomed one, it is apparent that the slabs of wood 3 contained therein have the vunder surface thereof exposed to the action of the combing teeth of the deberizing elements `and during the reciprocating movement of the said hopper the said defiberizing elements driven at a high rate `of speed engage with thel undersurface of the wood and efiberize the same through the medium ofthe pointed' ends of the combing teeth' 21 in 'line with the length of the fibers of the lwood and the fibers are removed in line withl '.4

umass Y the further yielding action which takes place by reason of the fact that the slabs 3 of by a deberization of the wood and the slabs of -wood to be Vdefiberized and arranged lengthwise .within the hopper 2 may be delivered directly into lthe hopper as removed from within a steaming chamber for placing the wood inne. proper. moistcondition. However, to insure the surface of the wood being acted upon by the deiberizing elements being maintained in a moist condition we have provided a steam pipe 33' which is arranged at one side of the ramestructure, perforated transversely projected nozzle extensions 34 thereof being disposed to run beneath the line of travel of the hopper 2, and which extensions are disclosed byFig. 2 or the drawings as being interposed between two of the idler rollers 5`and two of the idler .rollers 4, the perforations being in the upper surface of the nozzle extensions 34 and 34 so that steam eected therefrom in jets is projected upward y onto the under surface of the exposed slabs of wood con-1 tainedv within the hopper 2.V During the reciprocating movements of the said hopper,

nozzle extensions l34 and 34'. Steam is admittedinto the distributing pipe-33 under pressure and the flow of the steam through the said pipe toward the perforated branch nozzle extensions 34 and 34 respectively, is controlled by the action of a 3-wayvalve 35, the stem 36 of which is connected tov a crank arm 37 united to a longitudinally dis posed rod 38 and centrally thereof, Figs. 1

and Q of the drawings, which rod 38 is pivotally connected at its ends to the upwardly extended arms 39 and 39', pivotally mounted relative to the frame structure of the apparatus in spaced relation. From the hopper 2 and centrally thereof is projected a stud 40,

which on the hopper approaching the end of one of its strokes engages with a flanged extenson41 'of the pivotally mounted arm -39 and moves the rod 38 to throw 'the 3-way valve through its described connection with the rod 38 to cut olf the flow of steam toward the perforated'nozzle extension 34 and admit steam to flow toward the perforated nozzle extension 34 of the pipe 33 and to discharge therefrom through its perforations as jet streams onto the under surface of the slabs of wood within the hopper 2 as the hopper moves in the direction of the arrow b, Fig. 2 of the drawings, until the projecting stud 40 of thehopper 2 is ,broughtinto engagement with the angular extension 42 of the rod 38 for causing a shifting of the said rod the housing would 38to throw the` 3-way valve 35 to divert the liow of steam through the pipe 33 toward and into the perforated branch nozzle extension 34 thereof. .It'wiil thus be seen that the trip or shift rod 38 controls the action of the 3-way valve 35 to alternately open and cut o the iow nozzle extensions 34 and 34', respectively, in accordance with the longitudinalv re-y ciprocati movement of the hopper 2, so that at a timesduring the working movement of thev apparatus steam under pressure is ejected against the exposed surface of the wood within the hopper 2 to be deiberized. A

:While preference is given to the employof steam to the perforatedm.

ment of a plurality of deberizin means for f vthe'detiberization of the slabs o wood consitioning of the deiberizing elements should be such as to cause the same to underlie the hopper 2 centrally thereof.

o provide against the fiber of the wood as deliberized escaping upwardly from within the housing 26 during the reciprocating movements of the hopper 2, there is provided for the said hopper at each end thereof a. covering plate 4', which overhangs or projects :fromr the ends of the hopper `to such an extent as to cover the housing'26 -on the hopper being carried inwardly during its reci rocatin movements beyond the end walls o the sai housin 26 and which portionof unprotected were it not for the covering plates l The construction 'of the deiberi'zing elements'will be understood b reference more particularly to Figs. 2 an 8 of the drawlngs, it being understood that on the shaft` 18 is keyed or feathered a series of collars 20', the collars vbeing separated or held a outstanding portions or surfaces of the c ollars 20', and the said collars 20. arearran'ged in staggered relationrelative to each other, Fig. 2 of. the drawings, so that the comb teeth 23 loosely mounted Upon the' rods 20' of the' 132e' respective tie rods of the staggered arranged collars20 stand in staggered relation.

While we have described the referred embodiment of an apparatus for t e carry ing out of our inventionwe do not wish to be understood as restri-ctin ourselves to .the details of conruction il ustrated. and

described, but we wish tobe understood asroug perforations formed4 claiming the inventionas broadly vas thestate of the art will warrant. d Having thus described our invention,

' thereon aga.

what we-claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An apparatus for the detiberization of wood in line with the length of the liber thereof, the same comprising a frame.

structure, an open-bottomed hopper mounted for longitudinal 'reciprocating movement and adapted to contain slabs ot' Wood lengthwise, means for imparting longitudinal reciprocating movement to the said hopper, and a pair of oppositely rotating -defiberizing means mounted within the tomed hopper adapted to contain len, ;thvvise thereof Wood to be defiberized mounted upon said frame for longitudinal reciprocat- .jing movement, oppositely rotating deberizing .means 'mounted l within the 4frame structure below the hopper and adapted to operate upon the under exposed surface of the Wood held therein to be defiberizcd, and means for imparting longitudinal recipro' catinglmovement to thesaid hopper.

3. In 'an apparatus for the described purpose, the combination with a longitudinally reciprocating open-bottomed hopper v ada ted to contain lengthwise thereofv wood e defiberized,y of rotary z com rising a spool provided with a series of .lon-gltudinally f aligned circumferentially disposed radially projected combin teeth mounted relative tothe saidspool or free swinging movement, said combs adapted successively. to engage with the under exposed sur-face of wood held within the hopper for "the detiberizing thereof inline with the y -length 'of the fiber. and means for imparting u longitudinal reciprocating movement to the said hopper.

fl. In an apparatus for the described` purpose, the combination with a longitudinally reciprocating open-bottomed hopper adapted to contain.. .lengthwise thereof wood to 'be defiberized,'of rotary defiberizing- .means located below said hopper and comprising a spool composedof a transverse l`shaft provided with spaced collars united one to the other by a plurality of-circumferentially disposed tie rods, a series of looped end combing teeth loosel mounted upon each of the rods'in longitudinal' alignment and projected radially therefrom, each tooth terminating in a pointed end extremity and the teeth of one line ofteeth positioned in staggered relation with the teethof an fadjacent line,sai d teeth adapted to engage the under exposedsurface of thwoo'dheld Vimparted-to said driven shaft., ,l defiberizing 6. An apparatus for the destibed purpose, means located beneath lthe'said hopper andv opper for the deiibe'rization maracas' thereof in line with the length of the liber thereof, and means for imparting longitudinal reciprocating hopper.

5. Inpan apparatus for the described pur-l in the hopper during the" .reciprocating movement thereof, Aan idler roller situated beneath the hopper and intermediate of the series of mentioned idler rollers and loosely mounted on a dri-venshaft, rotary defiberiz.

ing means mounted Within the lframe .structure below the hop er and-situated intermediate the central y disposed idler roller and the spaced series of idler rollers andA adapted to' engage with the under exposed 4surface of wood within the ho per for deliberization thereof in line wit -the length of the fibers thereof, means automatically thrown into action duringl the reciprocating movement of the hopper for varying.` the direction ofrotation of the mentioned driven shaft of the centrally d'isposedvidler roller, and means carried by said vdriven shaftfor 'coaction with meanscarried by the hopper for varying itslongitudinal line of travelin accordance with the direction of for reciprocating movement and adapted tov contain' lengthwise vthereof wood. to be de rotation lim v iberized, longitudinally disposed racks car` ried by said h o per, a driven shaft mounted transversely 'o' the hopper carrying 'rack pinions for engagement: with the racks of the hopper for imparting longitudinal reci rocating motion thereto in accordance with the direction of rotation imparted to the said driven shaft, means thrown-into action by the movement of the hopper for automatically varying' the direction of rotation imparted to the said driverishaft,- and rotary means mounted within the' 'frame structure and below the hopper for engaging with the under exposed surface ofthe wood held therein for the defiberization thereof in line with the length of the liber thereof.

' 7.. A rotary defiberizing element for use in an apparatus for the detiberization of wood `ius in linewith the length of the fibers thereof, i

the same .comprising a built-up spool having rowsofaligned combing teeth looselymountedcircumferentially thereof and radially disposed therefrom, said alli ned' rows of loosely mounted combing teet face of wood for the defberization thereof in ljxine with the length of its bers.4 .z

adapted to successively eng with the exposed sur- 8. An apparatus for the described purpose, the same comprising a frame structure, lan open-bottomed hopper mounted thereon forv reciprocating movement and adapted to and means thrown into action by the longitudinal movement of the hopper for automatically varying its direction of travel.

9. In combination, an open-bottomed hopper mounted for reciprocating vmovement and adapted to contain wood to be deiberized, a plurality of roller sets arranged in spaced relation toA receive the hopper and wood, rotary deiiberizing means mounted `for operation on the wood between the roller sets, and means for reciprocating the hopper. l 10. In combination, an openfbottomed hopper mounted for reciprocating movement and adapted to contain wood to be defiberized, means for reciprocating the hopper,

and independent o positely rotating means mbunted below t e hopper adapted for simultaneous operation to deberize the wood in said hopper.

11. In combination, an open-bottomed hopper adapted to contain wood to be defiberized mounted forreciprocating movement, mea-ns for reciprocating the hop-per, rotary defiberizing means mounted below the hop-per for operation on the wood therein, andmoistening means operated periodically' in conjunction with the movement of the hopper for moistening the wood therein.

12. In combination, an o en-bottomed hopper adapted to contain woo tobe deberized mounted for reciprocating movement, means for reciprocating the hopper, rotary 'def'berizing means mounted below the hop per for operation on the wood therein, spray fplnpes mounted at opposite sides of the deberizing means in line with .the movement of the hopper, and. means for admitting fluid to be sprayed from said pipes governed by the movement of the hopper. A

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

GUsTAv Arenen; man s. MoMmLAN. 

